Scottish independence: Boris wants ‘No’ positivity

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, leaving today's event. Picture: PA

DAVID MADDOX

LONDON mayor Boris Johnson has warned that those campaigning to keep the UK together should stop being negative, and revealed that his car bears a bumper sticker reading “I heart Scotland”.

Speaking to journalists at the Commons Press Gallery lunch, Mr Johnson reminded his audience that, with 400,000 Scots in the UK capital, he is in charge of the third-largest Scottish city in the world.

However, in a criticism of the Better Together campaign, he said: “We English who heart Scotland should be more emphatic about that and stop playing on the kind of ‘You’ll regret it if you go’ thing.”

He added: “I think that I would respond badly to be in endlessly warned and hectored. If I was told there was value in the Union and that it is a wonderful thing and that we were better off together I think I’d respond better.”

He said the ‘I heart Scotland’ was put there by the Strathclyde Police when they came down to the Notting Hill carnival.

He went on: “I’m a huge, huge supporter of the union.

“There will be a union in 50 years time, there is absolutely no doubt about that.”